SGA looks to TBR for policy changes

SGA approved a bill this week to help give students a bigger refund for classes they drop after the semester begins.

Alex Martin, freshman senator, presented the bill during the April 1 meeting.

"Essentially, what I want to do with this bill is to ensure a larger refund," Martin said.

Currently, students are able to receive up to a 75 percent refund for class drops or withdrawals from the first day of classes through the first two weeks after they start. After that, students are given a 25 percent refund for a period of time.

The bill states, "It is unreasonable to pay 25 percent of the entire cost of a course for only a week of instruction."

Martin said he wanted to "hold the current 75 percent drop date, or roll the 75 percent drop date until after the first week of classes."

According to the bill, SGA will seek Tennessee Board of Regents' authorization to allow "either a 75 percent refund after the first week of classroom instruction" or a "90 percent refund in place of the current 75 percent refund (that) will be allowed at the same date."

"What I'm getting at is that if we don't change the date of the 75 percent refund, I'd like it to be 90 percent so students have a chance to attend at least one lecture and receive the syllabus and not pay 25 percent of what the course cost for only attending the first week of class," explained Martin. "Or move the 75 percent refund back until after the first week."

The bill passed with a unanimous vote of 31-0.

The item will be forwarded to the campus finance committee and then should go to TBR review.